Depending on the variety, pick your fruit when itâs between 4-6â long. Eggplants do not mature until around the 100-day mark, but you should not wait that long to harvest because young eggplants have the best taste. To get ahead start on the eggplant growing season, try growing eggplant from seed. July, August, and September (even into October) are all harvest months for eggplant, depending on where you live and the variety you planted. Place in full sun, and feed regularly. Find Out Which Is Best for Your Garden, 10 Easy Annual Flowers to Start From Seeds. Position. In this episode we show you how to grow eggplants, purple eggplants easily in your home garden. You will need some basic equipment to successfully start seeds indoors, but it's well worth it when you consider how many plants you can start with very little money. You should see condensation on the inside of your plastic bag or dome. Put them in a cool place out of the sun where the humidity can be maintained between 20 and 40 percent. Growing eggplant starts with sowing seeds, but it is also perfectly possible to purchase grown seedlings in your local nurseries. The average cycle of eggplant is 60 to 80 days from germination to harvest. Eggplants can be harvested when they are small, though growing them longer allows for a larger harvest. When you’re collecting eggplant seeds, grow only one type of eggplant in a given area. Sow eggplant seeds indoors about six weeks before the climate begins to warm up. Put the seeds in a bowl of water and wash the pulp away. Drying Fruits And Vegetables: Drying Fruit For Long-Term Storage, Harvesting Pepper Seeds: Information About Saving Seeds From Peppers, Types Of White Eggplant: Are There Eggplants That Are White, Mixed Container With Succulents: Succulents For Thriller, Filler, and Spiller Designs, DIY Herb Carton Planters: Growing Herbs In Milk Cartons, Air Plant Holder Ideas: Make An Air Plant Mount, Easy Care Garden Plants: Tips For Low Maintenance Landscaping, What Is Uplighting: Tips For Uplighting Trees In Gardens, Information About Seedless Watermelon Seeds – Where Do Seedless Watermelons Come From, Aralia Plant Information: Tips On Growing Aralias, Thanksgiving Tradition: Turning Homegrown Pumpkins Into Pie, Growing Thanksgiving Dinner – Must Have Turkey Side Dishes, Interesting Uses For Pecans: What To Do With Pecans, The Bountiful Garden: Bringing The Garden To Thanksgiving. Once they've germinated, remove the plastic cover and place your pot or flat under lights or in a bright window. Plant the seeds 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) deep and moisten the medium. Open pollination is pollination by wind, insects, birds or other natural causes. Start fertilizing with a very dilute (1/4 the recommended amount on the label) solution of fish emulsion or kelp. If you see the jar sweating, your seeds are too wet and at risk of becoming moldy and useless. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, basic equipment to successfully start seeds indoors. When growing eggplant, also sometimes known as brinjal or aubergine, there are certain steps you can take to up your yield.. From when to plant your eggplants to how best to care for them and when to harvest, weâre about to dive in and teach you all that you need to know about these warm-weather vegetables. Donât plant your seedlings until the danger of frost has passed. Growing eggplants prefer soil with a pH between 5.5 to 6.5. Wait until the eggplant is overripe and inedible before you start collecting eggplant seeds. Leave one inch of green stem attached to the fruit. Depending on the size of the pots, you can plant 2 to three seeds which you can thin after. Sow eggplant seed ¼ to ½ inch deep and spaced 4 to 5 inches apart. For successful seed germination, a seedling heat mat will ensure soil temperature can be ideally maintained at 80-90F (26-32C). Eggplants are very difficult to pull away from the plant by hand; doing so can damage the plant. Wait until the eggplant is overripe and inedible before you start collecting eggplant seeds. Eggplants are ready for harvest when the fruit is glossy, firm, and full-colored. If you have ever wondered how to save eggplant seeds, you now know that it isn’t very difficult. If your eggplant is about six to nine inches and its skin is ⦠Companions. Install plant supports at the time of planting. Fewer seeds are found in the Japanese and Chinese eggplant, yet all can be harvested and prepared the same way. Eggplant Harvesting Tips. An overripe eggplant is typically hard and shriveled. Eggplant seeds germinate in 5 to 6 days. Start checking the eggplants around 16 weeks after planting. Their flesh will soften and ripe ⦠Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Eggplant must be started from seed indoors in most areas, 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date. Make sure that the seeds are about 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) under the surface of the growing medium. Cook your eggplant soon after picking for peak flavor. If the eggplant's skin becomes dull, the seeds are beginning to mature and the potential for bitterness is increased. Planting Eggplant You can grow eggplant from seed or by using starter seedlings. Different varieties of eggplant can have slightly different estimated yields, so refer to your seed packet for details on the type of eggplant youâre growing ⦠It can take eggplants 16-24 weeks to grow before they can be harvested. You can use a bagged seed-starting mix, or make your own soil-less mix. When and How to Plant. Frost tolerant. But still, when compared to the 50 days of romaine lettuce heads, it is considered a relatively long time. From seed to harvest, these guides will help gardeners, from beginner or expert, grow their gardens from sowing the seed all the way through harvesting. Lucky for us, eggplants donât take that long. After you put the seeds in a jar for the winter, watch for moisture build up in the jar. You have many more options open to you when you start from seed: tender Asian varieties, pretty little egg-shaped eggplants, and a range of colors, from white to green to purple, including some very pretty striped varieties. Start eggplants from seed indoors about 8 weeks before setting seedlings in the vegetable garden. It produces large, plump, glossy eggplants that are very tasty. You can use potting soil or the same mix you used when you started the seeds. In northern climates, start seeds indoors 8 weeks before the last frost ⦠Look at the plant label on the container or ask someone at the nursery if you have an open-pollinated plant. Harvestable fruits should be firm and inside seeds should not ⦠You may need to transplant your eggplant seedlings into larger containers before it's time to move them outside. Eggplant is ready to harvest typically in 80-85 days. Follow the guidelines listed below and grow your own delicious eggplants every year. Eggplant varieties differ in size, shape, color, and maturation time. Eggplant, Black Beauty Organic; Eggplant, Patio Baby Hybrid Eggplants are ready to harvest as soon as 70 days after sowing the seeds. The seeds germinate best at temperatures above 24 deg C (75 deg F), so keep in a warmer place inside the house. (The color and glossiness of the eggplant determine the best time to harvest, rather than the fruitâs size.) When growing with eggplant seeds instead of nursery starts, the seeds will remain viable for about four years. Sowing Eggplant Seeds. The seeds will germinate without additional heat, but it will take longer. Donât wait too ⦠To harvest, use a sharp knife or secateurs to snip the fruit away by its stem. There are a number of important eggplant seed saving tips you must follow if you want viable seeds to plant the following spring. Sow eggplant seeds in cell packs or small pots, 1/4 inch deep. _____ Eggplants Varieties Available at Burpee. Spacing Eggplants take 60-80 days to mature depending on the variety. Consider a sturdy zip-locking plastic bag in this case, but ensure the seeds are completely dry. Overripe purple eggplants turn tan or brown while white and green eggplants take on a yellowish hue. When they have their first set of true leaves, it's time to start fertilizing. Eggplant loves humus-rich soils. Next, strain the seeds, pat them dry and spread them out on a tray to dry no more than two seeds thick. A position close to a window or other natural light is best. Cover over the seeds and mist or sprinkle water onto the surface. Beans, Spinach and Tarragon. How to Plant & Care for Eggplant. Harvest fruits with skin that is glossy and thin. Strain the seeds, pat them dry and spread them out on a tray to dry not more than two seeds thick. Once soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F, it's time to start hardening your eggplant seedlings off and get them planted in the garden. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Transplant outdoors after nighttime low temperatures have risen above 50°F. If at all possible, it's best to start with organic eggplant seeds, to ensure that you are receiving untreated seeds from plants grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Eggplant seeds germinate at temps between 60-95 degrees F. (15-35 C.) and seedlings will emerge in seven to 10 days. Simply place them into pots that are an inch or two larger than the ones they're growing in. Once an eggplant shows signs of being ripe, it ⦠A semi-tropical plant; cannot tolerate frost. Eggplant seeds germinate painfully slowly or not at all if the soil is too cool. Sow seed in individual pots, containers or flats. In order to speed up the process, you can germinate the seeds indoors before transplanting them to the ground or letting them grow outdoor when it is warmer. Full sun. They can be started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. With a little attentiveness, you can expect to harvest beautiful eggplant around 65-80 days after transplanting. If you don't, then it's time to water with a gentle mist to avoid dislodging the seeds. Harvesting Eggplants Time from planting to harvest is 100 to 150 days from seed, 70 to 85 days from transplants. An average hydroponic apple tree could take a minimum of 6 years to grow from the seed to harvest. Start eggplant seeds about eight weeks before planting outside. You can also fertilize your seedlings with vermicompost tea. Overripe purple eggplants turn tan or brown while white and green eggplants take on a yellowish hue. Keep the soil moist. Here are some of my favorite sources for organic eggplant seeds. You can use bottom heat to maintain a soil temperature around 24 deg C for about 10 days. Prepare to harvest eggplants around 70 to 80 days after transplanting. Starting eggplant from seed takes a bit of effort, but it is so rewarding to put together an eggplant Parmesan, or a plate of grilled eggplant later in the summer, from plants that grew from seeds you sowed yourself. If you use seeds from a hybrid eggplant, it won’t work. When starting from seed, expect 100 to 120 days to maturity. Most seedling pests can be controlled organically with insecticidal soap. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Simply dilute your vermicompost tea until it is a very, very light brown, then water with it. An overripe eggplant is typically hard and shriveled. Add a cage to your eggplant to help support stems when heavy with fruit. Prepare seed starting pots with compost or a rich organic garden soil. Colleen Vanderlinden is a freelance writer and the author of Edible Gardening for the Midwest. The main idea with harvesting eggplants is to pick them while the skins are still glossy. You just need to protect your open-pollinated eggplant variety from cross-pollination, harvest when the seeds are mature, and dry thoroughly. Growing eggplants in your garden is easy. The eggplant should look dull and off-colored. Harvest eggplant 65 to 80 days after transplanting, depending on the variety. It’s fun! From midsummer onward, drench with a liquid feed every two weeks. Using your fingers, push 1-2 eggplant seeds into the growing medium in each individual seed container. If you are a gardener who enjoys a challenge and gets pleasure out of growing your own food from scratch, then saving seeds from eggplant will be right up your alley.